Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq

Iraq: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 35.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
35.1%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
176th
of 186 countries
All-time high
38.9%
in 1994
All-time low
33.2%
in 2021
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq, 1991–2025

0102030401991200820251991: 38.81992: 38.81993: 38.81994: 38.91995: 38.81996: 38.71997: 38.81998: 38.81999: 38.82000: 38.72001: 38.62002: 38.42003: 38.22004: 38.22005: 38.22006: 38.32007: 38.12008: 382009: 37.92010: 37.92011: 37.82012: 37.72013: 38.12014: 38.42015: 38.42016: 38.52017: 36.42018: 35.72019: 34.82020: 342021: 33.22022: 35.12023: 35.32024: 35.22025: 35.1

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Iraq recorded 35.1% for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq peaked at 38.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 33.2%, in 2021.

That places Iraq 176th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq, year by year

Annual values for Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Iraq, 1991 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1991 38.8%
1992 38.8% +0.1%
1993 38.8% -0.0%
1994 38.9% +0.1%
1995 38.8% -0.3%
1996 38.7% -0.1%
1997 38.8% +0.1%
1998 38.8% +0.1%
1999 38.8% -0.0%
2000 38.7% -0.2%
2001 38.6% -0.4%
2002 38.4% -0.5%
2003 38.2% -0.5%
2004 38.2% +0.1%
2005 38.2% +0.0%
2006 38.3% +0.0%
2007 38.1% -0.4%
2008 38.0% -0.2%
2009 37.9% -0.3%
2010 37.9% -0.2%
2011 37.8% -0.3%
2012 37.7% -0.1%
2013 38.1% +1.0%
2014 38.4% +0.8%
2015 38.4% -0.1%
2016 38.5% +0.3%
2017 36.4% -5.3%
2018 35.7% -2.0%
2019 34.8% -2.5%
2020 34.0% -2.5%
2021 33.2% -2.1%
2022 35.1% +5.5%
2023 35.3% +0.6%
2024 35.2% -0.2%
2025 35.1% -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 38.8% 38.7% 38.9% 9
2000s 38.3% 37.9% 38.7% 10
2010s 37.4% 34.8% 38.5% 10
2020s 34.6% 33.2% 35.3% 6

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 173 Algeria 36.0% compare
  2. 174 Tajikistan 35.6% compare
  3. 175 Nepal 35.1% compare
  4. 177 Sudan 34.7% compare
  5. 178 Palestine, State of 34.0% compare
  6. 179 Eswatini 33.7% compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More work & labour data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq?
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq was 35.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 38.9% in 1994.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 33.2% in 2021.
How does Iraq rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
Iraq ranks 176th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Iraq data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-modeled-ilo-estimate/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
234 places, 8,176 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.